How Tinted Car Windows Protect You and Your Car

22nd of November 2018

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Car window tinting is an often-controversial topic due not only to how it can alter the appearance of a car, but also as a result of how it could impair a driver’s vision and impact on road safety. For this reason, window tinting and the application of window films is strictly regulated in many countries, limiting which windows can be tinted and the amount of light that is allowed to pass through – referred to as Visible Light Transmitted (VLT).

But many people choose to have their car windows tinted not for aesthetic purposes, but for the protection it offers to the occupants, and to the car itself.

UV Blocking

The way in which standard windscreens are constructed mean that they are incredibly effective at blocking most UV radiation: windscreens typically block 100 percent of UVB rays, and 98 percent of UVA rays. But all the other windows in your car will only block up to 65 percent of UV rays, if untreated. Many window films can increase this to almost 100 percent of harmful UV rays being blocked. And newer ‘clear’ window films offer the same level of protection, while still offering maximum visibility while driving. Blocking UV rays in your car not only protects you and your passengers from the harmful effects of the sun, it also protects your car interior and upholstery, which could fade or become brittle when exposed to too much sun.

Heat Reduction

Tinted car windows won’t keep your car cool, but they can provide some reduction to the interior temperature. Naturally, darker tints offer the most heat reduction, but even ‘clear’ window films will block some solar energy, and ultimately helping to reduce the load on your air-conditioner on hot summer days. This – in turn – can boost the fuel economy of your car, leaving you with some extra cash in your wallet.

Anti-Theft

Most films strengthen the windows they are applied to, but it is possible to have clear or tinted films applied that are thicker than standard films, offering greater protection against opportunistic smash-and-grab thefts, casual vandalism, and even providing better protection to you and your passengers in an accident. Although these thicker films don’t make the glass impenetrable, they do make it significantly harder to break quickly, and in the event of an accident, they hold shattered glass together, reducing some injuries. If you’ve ever had to replace a car window as a result of a break-in or vandalism, you will appreciate the extra security offered by some window tints.

Not all windows tints are the same, with do-it-yourself home-kits frequently much thinner than that offered by professional car window tinting services. And this also means a reduction in benefits. With Instant Windscreens, car window tinting isn’t only done to exacting standards, using the best materials, it also complies with all local regulations, and comes with a lifetime warranty on the materials and labour. With these safety and comfort benefits, the time has definitely come to start thinking differently about car window tinting.